Watching Over Durin's Sons
by GregsMadHatter
Summary: Fate has never been kind to the house of Durin. But Thorin thought the worst had been behind them. He was about to be proven wrong when a pack of Orcs raid through the Blue Mountains and take two treasures worth more than all the gold of Erebor. But that isn't the end of it. Fate has other plans for the sons of Durin. Pre, during and possibly post-Quest. Fíli!Whump, Kíli!Whump
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Watching over Durin's Sons**

**Summary: Fate has never been kind to the house of Durin. But Thorin thought the worst had been behind them. He was about to be proven wrong when a pack of Orcs raid through the Blue Mountains and take two treasures worth more than all the gold of Erebor. But that isn't the end of it. Fate has other plans for the sons of Durin. Pre, during and possibly post-Quest. Fíli!Whump, Kíli!Whump, Thorin!Angst.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit and this is honestly why I shouldn't be allowed to play Lego the Hobbit…it inspires epics like this.**

**A/N: Just so everyone is aware, Fíli and Kíli are the human equivalent of teenagers, so for the sake of argument, Fíli is about 35 in dwarf years and Kíli is 30 at the beginning of this.**

**Chapter 1**

"Very good, Fíli!" Dwalin called from the fence line as he watched the young golden prince go through the training regimen Dwalin had set up for him. For having started weapons training in the past three months, the young heir was showing promising signs of being a natural warrior. Beside him stood the youngest Durin, Kíli, who watched with curious joy as his older brother continued to progress. Kíli was still too young to begin weapons training but since it was impossible to separate the two brothers, Kíli went to every sparring practice to watch his older brother. Today was no exception. Dwalin had wanted to try something out after noticing how Fíli seemed able to wield a sword with either hand so for today's practice, he had given him two, just to see what would happen. Fíli at first struggled with a sword in either hand but as he got more and more accustomed to the weight, he became more and more comfortable, if still a bit awkward. Dwalin smiled as he went through the routine, getting faster and faster each time. "You see, lad," Dwalin gruffed, nudging Kíli lightly with his elbow, "Yer brother there has the makings of a fine warrior."

"And what about me, Mister Dwalin?" Kíli asked hopefully. Dwalin laughed as he ruffled Kíli's wild mane of black hair. "We shall see when ye get older, won't we? Widen your stance, Fíli!"

Fíli listened to his cousin's order, widening his stance just a bit so that his weight was evenly distributed. He felt like his stance was too wide and he instantly brought his feet closer together. Dwalin sighed as he picked up a stone and gave it to Kíli. "Throw this at your brother's left side when I give you the signal."

"What's the signal?" Dwalin just smirked as he jumped into the ring, grabbing his training staff. Kíli stood and waited with the pebble in hand as he watched Dwalin walk in front of Fíli and block one of his swings. "Attack, Fíli."

Fíli did so without question, sending strike after strike at Dwalin. When Dwalin saw what he was looking for, he gave a quick nod to Kíli. Kíli recognized the signal and sent a rock flying into Fíli's unprotected side. The moment the rock hit Fíli, his brother turned to see what hit him just before Dwalin knocked Fíli's feet out from under him. Fíli hit the ground with a hard thud as Dwalin placed the end of his staff at Fíli's throat. "That is why you want to keep your weight evenly distributed. If yer stance had been wider, you wouldn't have been knocked over."

Dwalin removed the staff and helped the prince to his feet. With a smile, he clapped his hand on the young Dwarfling's shoulder. "Yer getting better, Fíli. Swordsmanship takes time and practice. We'll make a warrior out of you yet."

Fíli nodded as he Dwaling gently pushed him towards the fence line where his brother stood. "Come on, let's get ye both home before yer mother starts to think I kidnapped her sons."

Once Fíli reached his brother, he took the cloth his brother brought for him and wiped the sweat off his face. "Did you really have to throw that rock at me?"

"Mister Dwalin told me to," Kíli replied with a smile as he helped Fíli over the fence. "Besides, I would never give up the chance to watch you fall flat on your backside."

"Well, just you wait until you're in here training. It's not as easy as it looks." The brother's smiled as they followed their older cousin home. Dwalin smirked as he watched them over his shoulder as they playfully teased one another. Dwalin was close with his brother, Balin, but never had they ahd the bond that these two brothers shared. It was something special – something unique. They were fiercely loyal to one another and it would take an act of Mahal to break that.

They reached the home of Dis and her brother, Thorin, just as the sun was beginning to set. "I'll race you to the door, Fíli!"

"You're on!" The two rebellious teens flew past him at lightning speed, pushing one another to try and gain the advantage. It was no shock that they reached the front door at the same time. "I won!" Kíli cheered.

"No you didn't. I obviously got here before you."

"No you didn't. I was clearly ahead of you."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

In a blink of an eye the two were wrestling on the ground, still arguing over who won. With a groan Dwalin was about to go break them up when the front door opened and Dis stepped outside, her hands on her hips. "What in Durin's name is going on here?"

The brothers froze, Fíli on top of Kíli while Kíli had a handful of his brother's long golden wheat hair in his hand. In a matter of seconds they were on their feet, dusting off the dirt they had gathered from their tussle. "Inside, the both of you…NOW!"

They jolted to life, rushing into the house to bathe before dinner. Once they were gone, Dis walked up to Dwalin and crossed her arms. "Teaching my boys to wrestle now, are you?"

"Of course not, Dis. They already knew how to do that. They don't need my help."

Dis smiled as she nodded to the small home behind her. "Care to join us for dinner? There's plenty to go around."

"Wish I could but I'm in charge of the watch tonight. A pack of Orcs were spotted not far from here so we need as many on watch tonight as we can get."

Dis nodded in understanding as Dwalin gave her a slight bow before bidding her goodbye and walking back towards where he came. Once he was gone she turned and walked back in the house. From the wash room she could hear the laughter and chatter of her two boys as they splashed one another with the water. A smile pulled at the corners of her lips as she finished preparing tonight's meal. When their father had been killed, she was worried that her boys would grow up with the memory looming over their heads but it seemed it could not put a damper on their spirits. She wasn't sure what could.

The door opened and when she looked up, she smiled broadly. "I was wondering when you would be coming in."

Thorin sighed as he removed his coat and boots by the rack that stood by the door. "Had some problems with the forge. Too many orders, not enough hands."

As he wiped off his hands on a rag he kept in his pocket, he said, "It would help if I had an extra pair of hands at the forge."

"No, absolutely not," Dis replied pointedly, stopping her task abruptedly. "Let them be children a little while longer, Thorin."

"I was Fíli's age when our father first taught me how to forge a sword."

"Yes and you grew up too quickly. Give him a chance to enjoy being a child for just a while longer. I beg of you, brother, give my boys a chance to be happy."

Thorin sighed, looking his sister straight in the eye. "He needs to learn sooner rather than later, Dis."

Dis wanted to argue further but the boys emerged, cleaned and changed into a fresh set of clothes. "Dinner smells amazing, _amad_," Kíli said with a happy sigh as they walked towards the kitchen.

As Kíli headed towards the table, Fíli approached his mother and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help, _amad_?"

"Here, take this to the table," she replied, handing him a plate with bread. As her eldest helped her to set the table, Thorin and Kíli began to arrange the silverware and soon they all sat around the table, ready to eat. The dinner was the same as ever; the boys would fight over how much more food the other had gotten, Thorin would ask about Fíli's training and Dis would scold Kíli for playing with his vegetables. Yes, everything was well in the house of Durin.

But that night would see it turn to ash and dust.

TBC…

**Alright, I know, not a very exciting chapter and probably not the best opener (I hate openers) but this is just to show the calm before the storm that is the next chapter. And, if you're familiar with my previous fanfictions on the Hobbit, I'll give you a teaser!**

_**Fíli had only ever dreamt of what a battle would look like after hearing the stories his uncle and cousin would tell him and Kíli when they were younger. He never expected it to look like this. The houses of the village burned as families of Dwarves ran to escape the flames. The Orcs were scarier than he had imagined, their flesh mutilated and eyes glowing yellow as they screeched and cried through the destruction. Thorin turned to his nephews and patted them on their shoulders. "Head for the forest, find your mother. I'll find you as soon as I can."**_

"_**Uncle…"**_

"_**Look after your brother, Fíli." Thorin turned without a word as he rushed towards the thick of the battle. Fíli and Kíli stood frozen, watching the horror before their eyes. After swallowing a lump in his throat, Fíli grabbed his brother's hand and pulled him along. "Come on, Kee, you heard what Uncle Thorin said."**_

_**They ran towards the forest as instructed but in the chaos of the battle, Kíli tripped on the body of a Dwarf, causing him to loose his grip on his brother's hand. "Fíli!"**_

_**Fíli turned and his face blanched. While Kíli tried to stand up, an Orc came running towards his little brother with his sword in the air. "Kíli, no!"**_

**Alrighty, folks, please review and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Holy Mahal! That's more reviews then I thought I would get! You guys are great! I'm glad to see lot of my readers from my other two Hobbit stories return as well as some new faces. Glad you all like this and hope you like where this is going. I'll warn you, it's not going to be an easy ride for any of our lovely characters.**

**Chapter 2**

The boys had just gone to bed when the knock on the door came. Thorin was smoking his pipe as Dis continued to clean up the mess from dinner when there was a frantic banging on the door. The siblings looked to one another, wondering who would be calling so late. Before Thorin could stand up to answer, the door burst in with an out-of-breath Dwalin. "Dwalin, what…"

"Orcs…less than a mile from here and moving in…fast."

Dwalin didn't have to say more before Thorin turned to his sister. "Wake the boys."

Dis didn't argue as she threw aside her dirty dishes and went to retrieve the boys. Thorin turned back towards Dwalin and followed him out of the house. They had just stepped outside when the first Orcish arrow flew past them, it's tip ablaze. The house it struck instantly ignited and soon the village was completely overrun with Orcs. Dwarves ran from their homes, Dwarrowdams carrying their children as their husbands attempted to defend them. Thorin turned to Dwalin and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Get as many warriors as you can find. We need to give the others as much time as we can to escape. Go!"

Dwalin turned and ran as Thorin ran towards the house he shared with the family. He had just turned the corner when he saw his home up in flames. "Mahal no…Dis! Fíli! Kíli!"

He ran towards the house, his heart in his chest. When he went barreling through the door he saw his nephews in the corner with their mother in front of them, wielding a battle axe as she fought off an Orc. In two fell strikes the Orc was killed and Dis was rushing her boys out of the house. "You took your time, brother," Dis muttered as she approached her kin.

Thorin smiled as they touched foreheads before he placed a hand on her back. "We need to get out of here, now."

"What about the others?"

"I will join them soon. I need you to lead the women and children out of the town. Lead them towards the South Pass. I'll be right behind you."

"I can fight."

"I need you to protect those that cannot protect themselves. Now go!"

Dis sighed as she tried to push her sons away. "Come along, boys."

"Uncle Thorin!" Kíli tried to run towards his uncle but Dis turned him and urged him forward. But Kíli was not easily swayed. When he saw his opening he slipped through his mother's grip and ran towards his uncle. "Kíli!" Fíli called, watching his brother go.

Fíli turned to his mother and said, "I'll get him, _amad_. We'll catch up to you."

Dis had a bad feeling but she knew if there was anyone who could sway her youngest, it was her oldest. She gave a nod before turning to the Dwarrowdams and leading them away to the forest. Fíli sighed and rushed after his brother, catching up with him quickly. "Kíli, we have to go, now!"

"Uncle Thorin needs us, Fíli."

"We cannot fight Orcs, Kíli. We are not trained!"

But they didn't get a chance when they heard the squeal of an Orc approach from behind. Just as they turned to look to see the Orc, Thorin appeared and beheaded the foul beast. "Fíli, Kíli, what are you doing here? Go catch up to your mother!"

But the boys did not hear him. Their eyes were fixed on the battle.

Fíli had only ever dreamt of what a battle would look like after hearing the stories his uncle and cousin would tell him and Kíli when they were younger. He never expected it to look like this. The houses of the village burned as families of Dwarves ran to escape the flames. The Orcs were scarier than he had imagined, their flesh mutilated and eyes glowing yellow as they screeched and cried through the destruction. Thorin turned to his nephews and patted them on their shoulders. "Head for the forest, find your mother. I'll find you as soon as I can."

"Uncle…"

"Look after your brother, Fíli." Thorin turned without a word as he rushed towards the thick of the battle. Fíli and Kíli stood frozen, watching the horror before their eyes. After swallowing a lump in his throat, Fíli grabbed his brother's hand and pulled him along. "Come on, Kee, you heard what Uncle Thorin said."

They ran towards the forest as instructed but in the chaos of the battle, Kíli tripped on the body of a Dwarf, causing him to lose his grip on his brother's hand. "Fíli!"

Fíli turned and his face blanched. While Kíli tried to stand up, an Orc came running towards his little brother with his sword in the air. "Kíli, no!"

Fíli's actions were not his own as he ran at the Orc with the loudest war cry he could muster. His small body flew through the air, tackling the Orc to get him away from his brother. All Fíli could see was red as he attempted to pry the Orcish blade out of the hands of the creature. At some point he had complete control and buried the blade deep into the Orc's chest.

The Orc let out a wild scream as it slowly died. At first Fíli continued to see red, his chest heaving with fury but as the haze faded, he scrambled off the dead body and held his hand over his mouth, his face pale and the feeling of nausea threatening to come forward. This was the first time Fíli had killed anything. Kíli ran up to his brother, staring at the dead Orc. Fíli turned to his brother and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Fíli…you killed it!" Fíli smiled; his brother was fine. "Come on, let's go."

Just as they turned to run, two Orcs rushed towards them, squealing in a horrifying manner. Fíli used the blade he took from the dead Orc to try and fend them off but his skills were still no where near ready to face the creatures. The blade was lost and the two dwarflings were hoisted into the air. "Thorin!" Fíli called out, hoping his uncle would hear him.

Thoring turned at the sound of his name, his face running pale. "Fíli! Kíli!"

"Uncle, help!" Kíli called out. Thorin pushed to try and get to them but he was ambushed by more Orcs. He fought fervently to get through but by the time he was free, the boys were gone. The battle died around him as the Orcs fled. Dwalin ran up to his shield brother, noticing the sheet of white that plastered on Thorin's face. "What's the matter, Thorin?"

"They took them," he growled, gripping his sword harder as he rushed towards the forest. Dwalin quickly got in front of him and held his hand up to stop him. "What do you mean? Who took who?"

"The Orcs! They have my nephews!"

Dwalin didn't need to hear anymore. Instantly he turned back to the other warriors and began issuing orders to begin searching the immediate area for any signs of the lost Dwarflings. Thorin followed the tracks as best he could, not wanting to give up on his nephews. They searched well through the night but the search came up empty. There was no sign of them. The boys were gone.

TBC…

**Oh no! Whatever shall happen?! Alright, preview time!**

_**Kíli huddled close to his brother, the warmth of his brother's still breathing body being the only comfort he could find in this dark place. He wished to be home, with his mother and Uncle. He wanted to be as far away from this place as possible. He scanned the area, looking for any means of escaping, but his options were limited. Fíli was hurt, his muscles were weak and there was no way he could carry his brother any distance. They were stuck.**_

_**He felt his brother stir beside him. Instantly he was in front of him, cupping his brother's face with his bound hands. "Fíli?" he whispered softly.**_

_**Fíli's eyes fluttered open, his face smiling as he saw Kíli. "Kíli, is it morning already?"**_

"_**No, it's not yet midnight."**_

"_**Oh, that's a shame…**_**amad **_**said she'd be making scones for us the morning. Will you wake me when they're ready?"**_

_**Kíli did his best to hold back the sob that threatened to escape his lips as he smiled and nodded. "I will, **_**nadad**_**. Now rest."**_

_**Fíli's eyes slowly closed as he drifted back to unconsciousness. Once his brother was back in the darkness, Kíli looked around and pleaded softly, "Please, uncle, hurry."**_

**Alrighty, what do you think?**


	3. Chapter 3

**I've written three chapters in three days? I may have a problem. But that's good news for you. On with the show!**

**Chapter 3**

"How could you let this happen?!"

Thorin had been dreading telling Dis what had happened at the village. Nothing scared him more than his sister's motherly instincts. Thorin and Dwalin had led search parties throughout the entire night but they could find no signs of the Orcs or the princes. "Dis, I tried to protect them…"

"No, you didn't!" Dis moved down her brother, her eyes red with fury, "You would have protected them if you had kept them by your side, not send them off by themselves! They are your nephews, Thorin!"

"We will find them, Dis…"

"You had better, brother, or I swear to Mahal I'll…I'll…"

Thorin could tell that behind his sister's anger, there was anguish. He rushed over to her and brought her into his arms. Dis punched and hit his chest as he brought her in before surrendering to his hold and collapsing into his shoulder, her body wracking with the sobs that enveloped her. Thorin soothed her, petting her black hair and kissing her temple. "Everything will be alright," Thorin muttered into her hair.

"Find them, _nadad_," he pleaded, her face stained with tears. "Find my boys. Bring them home."

"I will, Dis. I promise I will find them…no matter what it takes."

The front door opened as Dwalin stepped in, followed by Gloin and Bifur. "Thorin, you might want to come see this."

Thorin nodded before kissing his sister's hair once more. With a silent pat on her back, he broke from her embrace and followed his comrades out of the house. "Bifur here thinks he found a trail."

Thorin looked past Dwalin and towards the dwarf with the axe in his head. "Have you?"

Bifur nodded fervently before running off in the direction of the trail he found. For the first time since the raid, Thorin felt hope.

He had no idea it would be a false hope.

* * *

Fíli and Kíli had no idea how long they had been travelling. It all blurred together. Sometime during their capture the Orcs had bound their hands in front of them and slung them over their necks like packs. Fíli did his best to keep Kíli in his sights but there were so many Orcs it was nearly impossible. Eventually the Orcs grew tired and threw their cargo onto the hard ground carelessly. Fíli fell hard on his left shoulder while Kíli on his stomach next to him. They were just attempting to sit up when a small group ambushed them.

The two brothers tried to scramble away but they were held down by the Orcs. They felt hands claw at their clothes, tearing shreds and leaving scratches while others removed their boots and stockings, leaving them barefoot. "Fíli!" Kíli called out to his brother as he tried to break free.

Fíli managed to kick one in the face, earning a snarl and a vicious blow to his stomach. As soon as the damage was done, the dwarf brothers were left to their own devices. Their clothes were tattered and feet exposed to the cold darkness. Eventually Fíli got into a sitting position and made his way closer to Kíli. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Kíli nodded. "Did they hurt you?"

With a breathy laugh, Kíli replied, "You do know I'm not a child anymore, right?"

Despite their circumstances, they brothers laughed together. "Oi, knock it off, you two!" one of the Orcs shouted at the brothers before biting into a blackened meat.

They looked over at the Orc, instantly silencing in fear of what the Orcs could do. They had heard horror stories from Dwalin about what these creatures were capable of and, to Kíli's ignorance, Fíli was prepared to take all of it to save his brother's skin. He didn't know it would be coming quicker than he hoped.

One of the Orcs approached the boys and threw down some moldy bread. "Eat," it growled at them.

Kíli looked at the moldy bread and grimaced. "You expect us to eat this?" he asked.

Fíli inwardly groaned. Leave it to his brother to speak without thinking. The Orc plowed down on him, holding back his knife in a show of threat. "Eat or I'll gut ya!"

"I think this bread will gut me," Kíli muttered. Unfortunately the Orc heard that and grabbed Kíli by the collar and hoisted him the air. The Orc began to growl, holding the knife close to Kíli's face. In the blink of an eye Fíli got this feet and ran at the Orc, grabbing him around the legs and tackling him to the ground. The Orc let go of Kíli and took advantage of Fíli's limited movements to overpower him and grab him by the neck. "You little…"

The Orc threw Fíli closer to the fire in the center of the mass of Orcs. They all squealed in delight as the offended Orc barreled down on Fíli. "You'll pay for that, _gazat_."

As Fíli got onto his knees he felt a stinging sensation across his back. Blood began to trickle from the knife wound as he fell back onto the ground. Slice after slice fell on his back, each time he held back the cries of pain threatening to spill from his lips. A foot came under his stomach and rolled him onto his wounded back. When he looked up through hazy eyes, he saw the Orc bring the bloodied blade down towards his chest. When it was just above him, one of the Orcs shouted, "Nazag!"

All eyes turned to the commanding voice to see a tall Orc stepping closer to the scene in front of them. "The master wants them alive!"

The Orc growled before slashing Fíli across the cheek. Once he was done he threw Fíli back towards his brother, followed by a flask. Kíli just watched the Orc walk away before crawling over to Fíli. "Fíli? Fíli, are you alright?"

But Fíli was out cold, his face contorted into a look of pain. Time passed slowly and still Fíli did not stir. Kíli huddled close to his brother, the warmth of his brother's still breathing body being the only comfort he could find in this dark place. He wished to be home, with his mother and Uncle. He wanted to be as far away from this place as possible. He scanned the area, looking for any means of escaping, but his options were limited. Fíli was hurt, his muscles were weak and there was no way he could carry his brother any distance. They were stuck.

He felt his brother stir beside him. Instantly he was in front of him, cupping his brother's face with his bound hands. "Fíli?" he whispered softly.

Fíli's eyes fluttered open, his face smiling as he saw Kíli. "Kíli, is it morning already?"

"No, it's not yet midnight."

"Oh, that's a shame…_amad_ said she'd be making scones for us the morning. Will you wake me when they're ready?"

Kíli did his best to hold back the sob that threatened to escape his lips as he smiled and nodded. "I will, _nadad._ Now rest."

Fíli's eyes slowly closed as he drifted back to unconsciousness. Once his brother was back in the darkness, Kíli looked around and pleaded softly, "Please, uncle, hurry."

TBC…

**Poor Fíli. Honestly, poor line of Durin. Preview, perhaps?**

_**Fíli's movements were stiff as he crawled over to his brother. "Kíli? Kíli!"**_

_**Kíli grimaced in pain as he held the bleeding wound in his shoulder. "Kíli, it's going to be okay, I promise!"**_

_**As Fíli tried to pry his hands away to see the damage, both of their faces shot up when the heard the sound of twigs cracking. "What was that?" Kíli asked.**_

_**Before Fíli could answer a storm of arrows flew through into the camp, hitting their marks with deadly accuracy. Fíli and Kíli exchanged looks. This may be their only chance to escape. Fíli helped his brother to his feet. "Come on, Kíli, let's get out of here!"**_

**Alrighty peeps, leave a review! Thank you for all the reviews I've gotten so far. They really keep me going. Hopefully I can get some more? **


	4. Chapter 4

**Dun dun dun! I'm back! I'm glad that I was able to crank this out and at this rate, I will continue at this pace. This one is nice and long for you.**

**Chapter 4**

"Thorin, you must rest!" Dwalin shouted, doing his best to catch up to his friend. Thorin was moving with a purpose, his strides long as he continued to follow the trail. They had been traveling for hours without stopping for food or rest. His feet were tired and weary but he kept moving forward. He had to find his nephews, no matter what. Eventually Dwalin caught up to him and stepped in front of him, stopping his progression. "Thorin, we need to rest."

"I will not rest until they are found."

Thorin tried to step around him but Dwalin caught his arm. "I want the lads as safe as you do, Thorin, but if we find them and you are not strong enough to fight, we may lose them again."

"The Orcs have my nephews! You know as well as I, Dwalin, what Orcs do their prisoners. I am not going to allow that fate to become of Fíli and Kíli."

Thorin pushed past Dwalin and continued to follow the trail. Dwalin ground his teeth together as he growled, "I see where the boys get their stubbornness from."

Just as he took a step, Gloin shouted, "Over here!"

Thorin and Dwain spun and saw Gloin off to their left, looking through brush to a clearing. His face, however, did not hold good news. "Gloin, what is it?"

Gloin turned with a sad look before pointing towards the clearing. There was hesitation in Thorin's step as he walked closer to the brush. The clearing had been occupied the night before, that was clear. The embers from the fire were slowly dying. But that wasn't what chilled Thorin down to the bones. It was the blood that stained the ground and the torn clothes scattered around two pairs of boots…Fíli and Kíli's boots.

Thorin's knees grew weak as he stumbled towards the boots, his chest heaving as his emotions attempted to break his stoic face. By the time he was close his knees gave way and he fell next to the boots, his face pale as the moon as he gently lifted up one. It was Kíli's, there was no doubt about it. His fingers traced the markings Dis had sewn into them so that they would stop wearing the other's boots by accident. He felt Dwalin's hand on his shoulder as his eyes never left the last signs of his nephews. "I'm sorry, Thorin," Dwalin soothed before moving forward.

Thorin felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. He failed. He failed his sister and his nephews. He would never forgive himself. Never.

Despair turned to rage. He would hunt down every last Orc and kill them for what they had done. He growled through gritted teeth as he slowly stood, his hands still clenching Kíli's boot. He turned and saw Gloin watching him in shock. "Which way did they go?"

"What?"

Thorin closed the distance in a matter of steps, his voice growling, "Which way did they go?!"

Gloin pointed in the direction Dwalin was. With fury in his strides, Thorin ran, following the path. He would not rest until those that had killed his nephews were dead by his sword.

* * *

For three days the Orcs traveled with the little dwarves in tow. Fíli's back was still healing but fresh whip marks and bruises made it more difficult. Kíli had his own share, but far less. Whenever it looked like Kíli was about to get punished, Fíli would draw the danger to himself. It had taken its toll on his body bt he would not allow any harm to come to his brother.

As the Orcs made camp for the night, one of them came towards the bound brothers and picked Kíli up. Fíli tried to pull his brother free but the Orc sent a kcik to his ribs. "Stay down," it growled as it pulled Kíli towards the fire.

Kíli kept a defiant look on his face as the Orc dragged him towards the crowd of Orcs. But on the inside, his heart was pounding. The Orc pushed him to his knees before cutting the bindings from his hand. Before could lash out, the Orc grabbed one of his free arms and pinned it painfully behind his back. "You," the pack leader grunted, stalking over to where Kíli kneeled.

Kíli struggled to crawl away but the Orc behind him had too good a grip on him. Once the leader was in front of him, he pulled out a blackened knife and held it in a threatening fashion for Kíli to see. From behind him he could hear his brother call out, "Kíli!"

However the leader did something neither dwarf expected; he threw the knife down in front of Kíli. "Pick it up."

The Orc released Kíli, shoving him forward so he fell next to the knife. Once he gathered himself, Kíli looked up at the Orc, refusing it with his eyes. "Pick it up," the leader ordered again.

"No."

The Orc grinned before calling, "Bring the yellow one!"

Kíli turned and watched as another vile creature picked Fíli up and held him close to its chest, keeping a dagger dangerously close to his brother's neck. "Pick it up, _gazat_, or Grunz will spill his filthy blood."

To show the threat wasn't empty, Grunz pushed the blade closer to Fíli's neck, drawing a small trail of blood. Kíli's eyes were wide as saucers as he quickly picked up the knife. The leader growled in amusement as Kíli got to his feet, holding the knife like a novice. "Look here, boys, the _gazat_ don't know what it's doing!"

The Orcs jeered as Kíli looked to his brother. Fíli gave him a reassuring nod, telling him everything was going to be okay. However the look quickly faded as Fíli shouted, "Kíli, look out!"

Kíli spun in just enough time to see one of the Orcs rush at him with a blade raised. He had just enough time to jump out of the way before the Orc cut him down. Kíli rolled and quickly got back to his feet, keeping his eyes on the Orc that he was fighting. Once again the Orc rushed him and quickly he dodged again. He could hear Dwalin's commands to Fíli in his head. _"Look for your opening, lad! Wait for the right moment to strike!"_

When the Orc rushed a third time, Kíli saw his chance. He dodged before embedding the knife in the Orc's side. The Orc squealed from the wound as Kíli backed away, his hands at his sides as he watched with wide eyes as the Orc pulled the knife from his side. The Orc snarled as he wound his arm back. "Kíli!"

But Kíli didn't move fast enough. The knife flew, hitting him square in the shoulder. Kíli cried out in pain as he fell back, his good hand going up to grab the knife. The Orcs laughed as the one he was fighting came over to him, stepping on his wounded shoulder before withdrawing the knife. Kíli once again called out in pain as the knife was ripped from him. "Kíli!"

Fíli thrashed in the Orc's arms, trying to break free from the it's grasp so he could see to his brother. "Stop moving, _glob!_" it spat before throwing Fíli down next to his brother.

The Orcs continued to laugh as they left the two brothers alone. Fíli's movements were stiff as he crawled over to his brother. "Kíli? Kíli!"

Kíli grimaced in pain as he held the bleeding wound in his shoulder. "Kíli, it's going to be okay, I promise!"

As Fíli tried to pry his hands away to see the damage, both of their faces shot up when the heard the sound of twigs cracking. "What was that?" Kíli asked.

Before Fíli could answer a storm of arrows flew through into the camp, hitting their marks with deadly accuracy. Fíli and Kíli exchanged looks. This may be their only chance to escape. Fíli helped his brother to his feet. "Come on, Kíli, let's get out of here!"

As they got to their feet, the camp became swarmed with hooded figures on horseback, bows drawn and strung as they released arrow after arrow. Fíli grabbed Kíli's arm and pulled him towards the tree line. "We need to move, now!"

They ran as quick as they could, their injuries making it difficult for them to move. They weaved and dodged Orcs, horses and arrows as they made their way towards freedom. Kíli was grabbed from behind and pulled back towards the fray. "Fíli!"

Fíli turned and saw the Orc holding onto his brother. Red clouded his eyes once more as he ran at the Orc holding his brother. Although he was weaponless, Fíli managed to subdue the Orc, releasing Kíli. As he held the Orc down, he turned to Kíli and shouted, "Go! I'll be right behind you!"

"No, Fíli, I'm not…"

"Just go!"

"I'm not going without you!"

Kíli went to help his brothers when he was grabbed by another Orc and dragged away. "Fíli!"

Fíli looked up and saw the Orc that was dragging his brother away. "Kíli, no!"

He went to save his brother when the Orc he had subdued clubbed him over the back of the head, sending him to darkness. When Fíli's limp form fell in his arms, he threw him over his shoulder and ran off to safety. Kíli bared witness to the whole thing, causing him to struggle. "Fíli, no!"

As he tried to break free, the Orc holding him fell dead by an arrow, causing Kíli to fall to the ground hard on his wound. He cried out in pain, blackness pulling at the corners of his consciousness. The last thing he saw was a hand reach down to hoist him into the air before everything went dark.

TBC…

**Whew! That was a long one. So, what do you think happened? I love to hear your theories! Preview?**

_**Kíli kept himself huddled in the bed he had woken in, his arms hugging his knees to his chest as he attempted to keep the tears at bay. He couldn't believe any of this was happening. How everything that was good in his life had fallen out his grasp in just a matter of days. He wished he could go back to the way things were before. That he would wake up from this horrible nightmare to see Fíli sitting on the edge of his bed, making fun of his sleeping habits and smell his mother's cooking in the kitchen down the hall. That their Uncle Thorin would take them to the forge and show them all of the new things he had forged or into the market to Bofur's shop where they could get fresh baked goods from his brother, Bombur and attempt to sneak off with Bofur's hat. But deep down Kíli knew that would never happen. It could never happen again because the worse had come to pass.**_

_**Fíli was dead and he was to blame.**_

**Muwahaha! A cliffhanger followed by a cliffhanger preview. I've gotten bad, haven't I? Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Check back for more :)**


	5. Chapter 5

…**..I have no idea where this came from. You guys are getting spoiled today.**

**Chapter 5**

Elladan and Elrohir had been hunting a band of Orcs for Valar knows how long. Sure they had long since crossed the Bruinen and were beyond the borders of Rivendell but they were not going to rest until they killed the pack that had been destroying the Western borders of Middle Earth, even if it meant following them to the edges of Middle Earth to do it. With them they had a few dozen followers who were as committed to their cause as them.

As the sun was setting, Elladan heard the unmistakable sounds of cheering of Orcs. He turned to his twin and asked, "Did you hear that, _hanar?_"

Elrohir nodded, pulling his bow and stringing an arrow. Elladan followed suit, as did the rest of the Elves following them. Silently they rode to the outskirts of the camp. In the dim light they could see the Orcs huddled in a ring around something. All of their attention was focused on whatever it was bringing them entertainment. Now was the time to attack.

As one they all pulled back on their bows and took aim. "_Leithia pilin!"_

All of the arrows flew free and true, killing the Orcs they hit instantly. The rest of the battle came swift as the brothers led the charge into the camp. Orc after Orc fell to their arrows and swords as they took the creatures by surprise. Elrohir heard the sound of someone shouting in Westron. It could only be a brother shouting for one another. When he turned, he saw an Orc carrying a small Dwarf away from the battle. With uncanny speed he fired in arrow at the Orc, the arrow embedding itself in the creature's head. As the Orc fell he rode to the small Dwarf, taking care to pick him off the ground and into the saddle before him. "Elladan!" he shouted to his brother.

Elladan turned and saw his brother with a sickly looking Dwarf in front of him. "He is wounded. We must get him aid."

Ellladan nodded. "Strange for Orcs to take prisoners."

"He was shouting for someone, perhaps another prisoner."

"I'll take a party and search the area. Some of the Orcs managed to escape. They shouldn't have gotten far. Take him back to our father, we'll catch up to you." Elladan called for a few of their kind to search the area for any stragglers. In the meantime Elrohir called for the others to follow him as they rode with due haste back to Rivendell. The Dwarf that sat in front of him needed the best healer if he were to survive.

* * *

When Kíli came to, he found himself lying on a soft mattress made of the softest cotton he had ever felt. The wound in his shoulder was now a dull ache and the lashings on his back were no more than scars that pulled at his skin. Slowly he pushed himself up into a sitting position, taking the moment to look around at his surroundings. Everything was bright and colorful, much different from the darkness he had gotten use to in the past few days. His dirty, tattered clothes had been replaced with a white tunic made of the same cotton he slept on and tan trousers of the same material. He could hear the distant sounds of a waterfall in the background, the chirping of birds in the sunlight. "Ah, I see you have awaken."

Kíli turned and saw a tall elf with long black hair and a silver crown on his head walking through the doorway. "You were lucky my sons found you when they did. Your wound was on the edge of infection when they found you."

"W-where am I?" he asked in a timid voice.

"Rivendell, Master Dwarf. I am Lord Elrond," he replied, with a slight bow. When he stood up straight, he said, "Judging by your features, I would assume that you are related to Thorin, son of Thrain."

Hesitantly, he nodded. "Kíli…my name is Kíli."

"Well met, Kíli." Slowly, Elrond sat in the chair next to Kíli's bed. "Tell me, Kíli, how did you come to be in the company of Orcs?"

Kíli licked his dry, cracking lips as his fingers curled in the soft blanket shrouding the lower part of his body. "The Orcs…they raided our village in the Blue Mountains. They took…Fíli! Where is Fíli?"

Desperately Kíli began to look around, expecting his brother to appear. "Fíli!"

"Who is Fíli?"

"He's my brother. He was with me with the Orcs…where is he?"

""You were the only one found with the Orcs. We did not find any other."

Kíli shook his head, not wanting to believe that his brother was not here. "No…that can't be possible. He's here, I know he is."

He all but jumped from his bed as he began walking towards the door. "Fíli, this isn't funny anymore! You can come out now!"

Kíli could hear the sounds of footsteps approaching. His brown eyes lit up with hope. "Fíli?"

When he ran to the door he expected to be met with the smiling face of his brother. Instead he found himself staring up at another Elf, one that looked remarkably like Elrond. "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, Father," he apologized, bowing his head slightly.

"It's alright, Elladan. What news do you bring?"

Elladan looked down at the Dwarf before reaching towards his belt. "We found no other signs of the Orcs, but we did find this."

From his belt he pulled a pouch, emptying the contents into his hand. It was a silver hair clasp…Fíli's silver hair clasp. The Elf held the clasp out to Kíli. "Do you know who this belongs to?"

Kíli felt tears stinging his eyes as he gently took the clasp in his hands. "Fee?" he muttered, staring down at the trinket in his hand.

From behind him he felt Elrond place a soft hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry for your loss…"

But Kíli shrugged it off. "No, I don't believe it. I won't believe it. He's not dead…he's not…"

Elrond looked to his son and nodded at him to leave. Elladan gave a slight bow before turning on his heel. "I will give you time to yourself to grieve for your loss."

And as quietly as he came, Elrond left. Slowly Kíli stumbled back to his bed, falling back into the softness of the mattress as he curled the trinket in his palm, hugging it close to his chest as he attempted to make himself as small as possible. Kíli kept himself huddled in the bed he had woken in, his arms hugging his knees to his chest as he attempted to keep the tears at bay. He couldn't believe any of this was happening. How everything that was good in his life had fallen out his grasp in just a matter of days. He wished he could go back to the way things were before. That he would wake up from this horrible nightmare to see Fíli sitting on the edge of his bed, making fun of his sleeping habits and smell his mother's cooking in the kitchen down the hall. That their Uncle Thorin would take them to the forge and show them all of the new things he had forged or into the market to Bofur's shop where they could get fresh baked goods from his brother, Bombur and attempt to sneak off with Bofur's hat. But deep down Kíli knew that would never happen. It could never happen again because the worse had come to pass.

Fíli was dead and he was to blame.

TBC…

**Okay…I may or may not have a problem if I'm writing these as quickly as I am. It helps to have a plan. Preview!**

_**The plan had been simple; Kíli would sneak to the stables and find a pony. He would then set out and find his brother. He would not believe his brother was dead until he saw it for his own eyes. Kíli would not leave his brother to torment and death, not while he still had breath in his body. As the sun dipped below the horizon line, Kíli made his move.**_

_**He made it to the stables without being noticed, much to his surprise. It probably helped that he and Fíli had snuck around the house so often without getting caught when they were younger. When he made it to the stables, he snuck in and looked at the possible choices. Most of them were too big for himself but near the back he saw a white and block-spotted pony eating happily from the bag of oats that hung before him. Kíli smiled as he made his way over to the pony, smiling has he held his hand out for her to sniff. "Hello, girl. You want to go on an adventure with me? Help me find my brother?"**_

_**The pony neighed in response, bringing a smile to Kíli's lips. "I thought so."**_

_**Just as he got busy preparing her for travel, he heard the stable doors open. Quickly he hid behind the door to the pony's stall, trying to even out his breathing as he heard the footsteps get closer. He closed his eyes and prayed he would not be found. "What do we have here?" a familiar voice greeted.**_

_**Busted.**_

**Heehee, so Kíli is in Rivendell…where is Fíli? Maybe we'll find out next chapter…maybe not. We shall see. Please review and tell me what you think? Reviews keep me going. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took me a while to write this one. This was longer than I expected.**

**Chapter 6**

Fíli was in pain. His back felt like it had been ripped to shreds, still red and inflamed from the knife wounds and lashes he had received. But since the raid when he had been separated from his brother, he had gained a few more injuries. There were bruises and cuts scattered on his face, a deep cut running from his hairline. His left shoulder was swollen, having been dislocated and brutally set moments later. Cuts and whip marks covered his entire body. In fact, he wasn't sure there wasn't a part of him left unscathed. Unfortunately, he knew there was more to come.

Thankfully after the camp had been invaded, Fíli had been unconscious for the majority of the trip to wherever the few surviving Orcs had run to. But when he woke, he realized he was far away from the mountains…farther away from anything he was familiar with. He was in a small alcove, the walls made of the same rock as the ground with a crude metal bar door blocking his exit. His hands had been tied in front of him, even though there was no point. Even if he did escape, he had nowhere to run. He was solely at the mercy of his captors.

He kept his gaze down at his knees as he huddled in the darkest corner of the cave. He had hoped that maybe Kíli had been rescued and soon he would find him and bring him home. But days past and Kíli never came. No one came. It had been four days since he had last seen his brother, over a week since he had seen his Uncle Thorin and his mother. His hope slowly faded and soon turned to anger; anger he used daily.

The door creaked open but Fíli did not bother to stand or look. He knew it was Azáck and Kosh, coming to drag him to the ring. He didn't struggle as they dragged him from his hollow cave into the open floor of Weathertop. He would need all the strength he had. Before they released him they removed the ropes binding his hands, allowing the blood to flow back into his fingers. They shoved him forward, tossing a dagger in front of his feet as the Orcs cheered around him. From across him he saw an Orc appear, his blade drawn and his teeth snarling. Without taking his eyes off the target, Fíli picked up the knife, holding it at the ready should the Orc come near him.

This was their new way of tormenting him; forcing him to fight. They knew that Fíli was not a very good fighter. They got their enjoyment out of watching him struggle to defend himself, but they never expected him to start getting better. In fact, the last match he had actually won; it ended with him being flogged. It was better than being beaten into darkness, however.

The Orc and Fíli danced around each other, watching the other's moves. Fíli was already aching and tired, his movements sluggish, but in the back of his mind he thought about how he needed to stay alive. He needed to escape and find Kíli. The Orc snarled as it watched its prey. Fíli showed no fear or hesitation. He knew what he had to do.

Fíli dodged to the left as he saw the Orc come at him with its sword raised. As soon as Fíli was out of its kill line, he jumped on its back, holding the knife to the Orc's throat. The Orc thrashed as it tried to pry the Dwarfling from his back but Fíli held tight until he pressed the knife into its throat and cut across it, bleeding it like a pig. The Orc squealed as it fell, thrashing and fidgeting as the life slowly left it's body. It was the shortest fight yet, having beaten last night's record. Fíli stood, dropping the knife as he knew what was about to come. Orcs rushed him, bringing him to the ground hard before dragging him to the stone pillar. "Bring out the whip!"

Fíli didn't struggle as they pressed his face against the pillar and bound his hands around it. He kept his face stoic as his Uncle as he heard the whip crack. It always started the same way; they cracked it a few times to try and get a rise out of him before bringing it down on his skin. He flinched as he felt the leather strike his back, already drawing fresh blood. But each time he gritted his teeth and kept quiet; he would not give the Orcs the satisfaction of hearing him cry. As soon as it began, it was over and Fíli was tossed back into his cell to await the next night's activities. "How much longer until Master gets here?" the Orc, Grunz, asked.

"Two nights. And when he does, he will decide what we do with the _gazat glob."_

The Orcs snickered as they walked away from Fíli's cell. The Orcs had been discussing something about their Master who apparently was the one who had wanted Fíli and Kíli in the first place. From what he could tell, he would stay alive until the Master arrived in which case, he would be broken. He would not allow that to happen; he couldn't. He had been planning an escape in case no one came to save him, but every escape plan ended the same way; death. It wasn't the most favorable but from what he gathered, it would be far more merciful to die by his own hands than by the Master.

Tomorrow night, he decided. Tomorrow night would be the night he escaped, whether it be in life or in death. He would not give the Master the satisfaction of breaking him. Not ever.

* * *

Ever since Kíli had woken in Rivendell he was determined to escape and find his brother. He refused to believe he was dead. He would know, in his heart, if Fíli was in the Halls of their Fathers. There was no pain in his heart; Fíli had to be alive. Unfortunately it seemed the Elves were aware of his plans and had decided to prevent Kíli from doing such a reckless thing. But they underestimated Kíli's stubbornness.

The plan had been simple; Kíli would sneak to the stables and find a pony. He would then set out and find his brother. He would not believe his brother was dead until he saw it for his own eyes. Kíli would not leave his brother to torment and death, not while he still had breath in his body. As the sun dipped below the horizon line, Kíli made his move.

He made it to the stables without being noticed, much to his surprise. It probably helped that he and Fíli had snuck around the house so often without getting caught when they were younger. When he made it to the stables, he snuck in and looked at the possible choices. Most of them were too big for himself but near the back he saw a white and block-spotted pony eating happily from the bag of oats that hung before him. Kíli smiled as he made his way over to the pony, smiling has he held his hand out for her to sniff. "Hello, girl. You want to go on an adventure with me? Help me find my brother?"

The pony neighed in response, bringing a smile to Kíli's lips. "I thought so."

Just as he got busy preparing her for travel, he heard the stable doors open. Quickly he hid behind the door to the pony's stall, trying to even out his breathing as he heard the footsteps get closer. He closed his eyes and prayed he would not be found. "What do we have here?" a familiar voice greeted.

Busted.

Kíli looked up and saw the twins, Elladan and Elrohir, staring down at him, both with their arms crossed and amused expressions on their faces. "Imagine the surprise we got when we come to check on our Dwarf visitor to find he has disappeared," Elladan said with a smile.

"Imagine the shock we got when he learnt he was seen heading towards the stables," Elrohir continued. Kíli got to his feet, brushing off the straw on his clothes. "Look, I just…"

"There is no need, _mellon-nin," _Elladan interrupted.

"We know what you plan to do."

"Which is why we are here to help."

Kíli looked at them in confusion. "A company of Orcs were seen gathering on top of the ruins of the fortress Amon Sul," Elrohir explained.

"Seems like a good start."

Kíli was speechless. "I…I don't understand."

"Fíli…he is your _hanar_, yes?" Kíli wasn't sure what the word meant but he figured it must have meant something important so he nodded. "There is nothing more important than kin."

"Besides," Elladan continued, "You are not skilled in any weaponry. If you were to be attacked on the road, you would not last long. You will need our help to stay safe."

"And we do enjoy killing Orcs. So, will you accept our help, _mellon-nin?"_ Elrohir asked.

Kíli looked between the brothers, a smile pulling at his lips. "Yes, I would be honored."

And for the first time since they were taken from their home, Kíli felt hope.

TBC…

**I know it seems like I am not spending a whole lot of time with these two and their little adventure but I promise there is a reason! Their adventure has only begun and this story has a long ways to go yet. So I leave you with this preview.**

_**He could feel the sticky sensation of blood escaping his wounds as he fell to his knees. The pain was so intense that it seemed almost dulled. The world slowed around him as everything began to grow hazy. So, this was what dying was like. He couldn't help but let the smile play on his lips as he realized that this was it; he was finally escaping. But it fell when he felt cold hands on his body. No, they were going to try and save him. Their heads were at stake if they let him die. No, he couldn't allow that.**_

_**With all the energy he could muster Fíli fought off the hands that attempted to drag him back to the realm of the living. He would not allow it. He was this close to escaping, he would not lose this chance. He was successful in his attempts and soon found himself stumbling towards the edge of the cliff. He couldn't really see where he was going or the Orcs coming to grab him before he fell of the edge. They needed him alive. Fíli could feel the knife he was holding in his hand. "Stay…back…" he heaved, his voice slurring.**_

_**He had two options; fall of the side of the cliff and pray the fall would kill him before the Orcs went after him or use the knife on himself. He only had a second to choose and choose he did. His cries echoed across the plains as he plunged the knife into side. As he fell forward onto his knees, the world grew darker, the sounds fuzzier. He was sure that the Orcs had picked him up to pry the knife and dress his wounds but Fíli would never know. He embraced the darkness as it took him.**_

…**.No pointy objects, please. Other than that, feel free to throw objects at me. Please tell me what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

**These chapters are long…prepare for things to start really unfolding!**

**Chapter 7**

As the red dawn rose, the rays shining through the bars of Fíli's cell and falling on his face. He squinted as he slowly woke, pushing himself stiffly into a sitting position as he took in the warmth of the sun. The days had been cloudy since he arrived at Weathertop. This was the first time he had felt the warmth of the sun and despite his circumstances, it was comforting. He leant his head back against the cold stone and drifted away to faraway lands and happier times. He could see the smiling face of his brother as they raced through the woods near their home. He saw Dwalin's proud face and heard his praise when Fíli successfully completed a training routine. He could smell the sweet baked goods of from his mother's kitchen and hear the heavy footfalls of Thorin as he came to check on them every night in their beds. If only he could go back to those times.

A rattle on his cage door pulled him back to his current situation. He just glared as the Orc threw in a stale piece of bread. "Eat up, _gazat._ You will need your strength."

Fíli stood up and walked towards the door to pick up the bread. As he did so he spat at the Orc before snarling, _"Rukhsul __inbartharkâl."_

The Orc snarled as he threw open the cell door, pressing his long fingernails into Fíli's arm as he pulled him from the cell. The Orc threw Fíli across the ground, the young Dwarfing landing with a loud thud and a muffled groan in pain as he fell on his left shoulder. He just managed to roll onto his back when he saw the Orc hovering over him before lifting him by the neck and holding him in the air. "You will pay for that, _gazat_."

"What is going on here?"

Even Fíli turned to see the lead Orc, Nakásha, racing forward to see what all of the ruckus was about. "Just teaching our _guest _some manners," the Orc snarled, tightening his grip on Fíli's throat.

"You know the rules, Sraga!"

Sraga growled as he dropped Fíli to the ground. As he hit, a knife was slid over to him. "Pick it up!"

Fíli groaned as he got to his feet, picking up the knife. He was still sore from the beating from the night before but he was not going to roll over and take it. Just like the night previous, they began the dance. But it seemed that this Orc was not as easily outwitted as the others. When Sraga ran at him, he didn't swing his sword or attempt to run Fíli through. Instead he anticipated Fíli's dodge and grabbed his arm, pinning it painfully behind his back. Sraga snarled as he held the blade of his sword against Fíli's neck. "Your tricks are not going to fool me, Dwarfling."

Fíli tried to throw his head back against the Orc but Sraga caught the movement and leant back. With a growl he brought the sharp edge down against Fíli's shoulders and sliced, leaving a shallow, stinging cut in its wake. Fíli stifled the cry that threatened to come out as he felt the blood begin to flow. Sraga threw Fíli forward and stepped on the fallen Dwarf's back, pinning him to the ground as he sheathed his sword. "Bring me that flog!"

Fíli squirmed, trying to get away but there was too much weight on his aching back. Instantly he felt the pain of the whip as it hit his back. Again and again it came down, reopening the scabbed over wounds. Fíli readjusted his grip on the knife, driving it into the Orc's foot on the tenth whipping. Sraga howled in pain as Fíli stood up, the knife still in his hand. Just as he gained his balance, he felt a painful slice run across his chest.

He could feel the sticky sensation of blood escaping his wounds as he fell to his knees. The pain was so intense that it seemed almost dulled. The world slowed around him as everything began to grow hazy. So, this was what dying was like. He couldn't help but let the smile play on his lips as he realized that this was it; he was finally escaping. But it fell when he felt cold hands on his body. No, they were going to try and save him. Their heads were at stake if they let him die. No, he couldn't allow that.

With all the energy he could muster Fíli fought off the hands that attempted to drag him back to the realm of the living. He would not allow it. He was this close to escaping, he would not lose this chance. He was successful in his attempts and soon found himself stumbling towards the edge of the cliff. He couldn't really see where he was going or the Orcs coming to grab him before he fell of the edge. They needed him alive. Fíli could feel the knife he was holding in his hand. "Stay…back…" he heaved, his voice slurring.

He had two options; fall of the side of the cliff and pray the fall would kill him before the Orcs went after him or use the knife on himself. He only had a second to choose and choose he did. His cries echoed across the plains as he plunged the knife into side. As he fell forward onto his knees, the world grew darker, the sounds fuzzier. He was sure that the Orcs had picked him up to pry the knife and dress his wounds but Fíli would never know. He embraced the darkness as it took him.

* * *

The Orcs were in for it. They had lost one of their prizes to the Elves and the other was nearing death. They did not want to be around when their Master found out what happened and nor did they want to see the evidence. They moved the corpse of the nearly dead prince over a Warg and sent the rider out to dispose of it. It didn't travel far before they came to the Brandywine River where they threw the body into the current, watching as the evidence of their failure float down the river.

However they did not expect that just a few miles down the river, a small figure would fish the poor Dwarf from the river and take him back to her home to heal.

Belladonna Took, now known as Belladonna Baggins, had been on a walk with her husband while their young son, Bilbo, spent time with his Took family when they came across what appeared to be a log in the water. "My dear Bungo, what is it?" Belladonna asked as she led the way towards the river's edge.

Belladonna gasped as she saw the bloodied Dwarfling washed up against the grassy shore of the river. "Is he alive?" she asked, kneeling next to him.

Bungo knelt on the other side and placed his hand in front of the Dwarf's nose. "Aye, he still breathes, but not for much longer."

"Well we cannot leave him here to die."

Bungo nodded in agreement. "We'll take him to the Thrain's Hall. Your aunt is the best healer we know."

Gently Bungo lifted Fíli over his shoulders and carried him the short way to the Thrain's Hall, hoping that they were not too late to save the poor little Dwarf.

TBC…

**Yep, Fíli has been found by the Hobbits! What shall happen next, I wonder.**

_**Kíli sat by the fire, watching the flames dance against the logs while they took a rest. They were half a day's journey from Weathertop and against Kíli's wishes, the brothers had insisted that they stop for a rest. As he watched the flames lick the charcoaled logs, Elladan sat next to him to fletch his arrows. "You must really rind that fire fascinating to be watching it so," he commented as he continued to fletch.**_

_**Kíli smirked as he turned, his eyes growing wide in fascination as he watched Elladan's task. The Elf noticed and smiled, handing the arrow out for Kíli to take. "You know archery?"**_

"_**No," he replied, taking the arrow carefully in his hands, "I haven't started my weapon's training yet and the bow is not a very dwarvish weapon."**_

_**Elladan's eyebrow raised up in curiosity. "Would you like to learn?"**_

_**Kíli turned and looked at him with wonder. "Really? You would teach me?"**_

"_**I don't see why not…but only if you are interested. And, judging by the way you hold that arrow, you seem very interested indeed, **_**mellon-nin."**

"_**What does that mean? **_**Mellon-nin."**

_**Elladan smirked at the young Dwarf's curiosity. "It means my friend."**_

_**Kíli nodded, looking at the fire again. "**_**Mellon-nin. **_**I like that."**_

_**With a smile, Elladan clapped him on the back. "I'm glad. Now, would you like to learn a true weapon?" he asked, standing up.**_

_**With excitement in his eyes, Kíli nodded before standing up and following Elladan.**_

**Alright, tell me what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Kíli sat by the fire, watching the flames dance against the logs while they took a rest. They were half a day's journey from Weathertop and against Kíli's wishes, the brothers had insisted that they stop for a rest. As he watched the flames lick the charcoaled logs, Elladan sat next to him to fletch his arrows. "You must really rind that fire fascinating to be watching it so," he commented as he continued to fletch.

Kíli smirked as he turned, his eyes growing wide in fascination as he watched Elladan's task. The Elf noticed and smiled, handing the arrow out for Kíli to take. "You know archery?"

"No," he replied, taking the arrow carefully in his hands, "I haven't started my weapon's training yet and the bow is not a very dwarvish weapon."

Elladan's eyebrow raised up in curiosity. "Would you like to learn?"

Kíli turned and looked at him with wonder. "Really? You would teach me?"

"I don't see why not…but only if you are interested. And, judging by the way you hold that arrow, you seem very interested indeed, _mellon-nin_."

"What does that mean? _Mellon-nin_."

Elladan smirked at the young Dwarf's curiosity. "It means my friend."

Kíli nodded, looking at the fire again. "_Mellon-nin_. I like that."

With a smile, Elladan clapped him on the back. "I'm glad. Now, would you like to learn a true weapon?" he asked, standing up.

With excitement in his eyes, Kíli nodded before standing up and following Elladan. Elrohir, who had been cleaning the connies he had hunted, watched with an amused grin as his brother handed Kíli the bow, which was definitely too large for the young Dwarf to hold. "Ah, this may be a bit harder than I thought…" he muttered as he watched Kíli find a way to hold it. "No matter, I can still show you a few things."

He took the bow from Kíli and held it so Kíli could look it over. He explained how it bended, the mechanics…everything to the small Dwarf, who took it all in with a smile on his face. After showing Kíli how to knock an arrow he took aim at a nearby tree. "Now, when you pull back on the arrow, you want to keep your pulling arm straight, like so. See how everything is kept straight and level?"

Kíli nodded, mimicking Elladan's movements with his imaginary bow. "Keep your eyes on the target and take slow, deep breaths."

Kíli did as he said, pretending he was aiming at the tree. "Then, once you are ready, you release it with your fingers."

Elladan let the arrow loose and watched with a smirk as the arrow hit his target. Kíli stood flabbergasted. "Wow…" he muttered.

"Wow indeed. Perhaps we can take you back to Rivendell and make you your own bow, one for someone as short as you. How does that sound?"

With enthusiasm, Kíli nodded. "I would like that _mellon…mellon-nin?"_

Elladan laughed, ruffling Kíli's hair. "You are a quick learner. Now, get some rest, young Kíli, we leave at first light."

Kíli nodded and went back to the fire, curling up by the log he had been sitting off and falling asleep almost instantly. When Elladan stood next to his brother, Elrohir asked, "Do you think we should take him back to Rivendell? Wouldn't it be better if we tried to find his own kin?"

"Yes, but I feel that if we do not succeed on finding his brother alive, he may not have anymore kin to return to. We will know more in the morning."

Elrohir nodded as they both watched the young Dwarfling sleep peacefully through the night, both praying to the Valar that all would end well for the him and his lost brother.

* * *

Belladonna stood by the Dwarf's bedside as her aunt did another check over his wounds. The ppor thing had been through quite an ordeal and when they first arrived in the hall, she began to fear that perhaps he would not make it. But the look her aunt gave her was that of joyous news. "He will live. He is lucky you found him when you did. I fear any longer and he may have been beyond our reach. For now, he needs rest and a chance to heal."

Belladonna nodded as her aunt left. Of course, with the exit of one Hobbit, two more took her place in the forms of her husband carrying their five year old son. "Your son insisted that he see the Dwarf himself," Bungo said, putting Bilbo down so he could run and take a proper look at the Dwarf.

Belladonna smiled as she watched her son look at him curiously. "Where do you think he came from?" Belladonna asked, looking at her husband.

"I do not know. The nearest Dwarf settlement is in the Blue Mountains but he was found in the opposite direction of them. He could be from anywhere."

"Well, we can't just turn him away, now, can we? He's only child, after all," Belladonna stated, knowing full well that her husband would suggest that they take him to Bree and send him off with the first group of Dwarves they found. "Bella, we can't just take in a Dwarf! It's not natural."

"Would you rather we left him alone and frightened? Imagine if he were Bilbo." At the mention of his name Belladonna turned and saw her young son sitting by the sick Dwarfling, playing with the golden hair around his hair. "Besides, it seems Bilbo has already made a new friend."

"Blast it all, Bella, he needs his own kin to care for him. A lad like him…someone's bound to be looking for him."

"You saw the state he was in, Bungo. Beaten half-to death, starved…what if he lost his family to the Orcs? The Mountains are not exactly the safest places for any settlements." She turned, her eyes falling back on the sleeping Dwarf. "He could be an orphan."

"We can't just take in a Dwarf. What will the other's think of us taking in a strange creature such as him?"

"I do not care what others think, Bungo Baggins. I will not leave a poor Dwarfling to an unknown fate, not after he has already suffered greatly."

Bungo sighed, wrapping his arms around his wife. "There is no swaying you, is there?"

Belladonna shook her head. "You should know that by now."

Bungo smiled, looking at the Dwarf. "Then we shall wait to see how he is when he wakes and we shall go on from there. Is that alright by you?"

With a smile, Belladonna nodded. "Very well, you stubborn Baggins."

"Fool of a Took."

TBC…

**Okay, sorry for the lack of updates. This weekend I was in Paris and I got back late Monday night and had to work all day and honestly, it took me ages to write this chapter because basically it is a filler and I'm still not happy. Anyway, enough with my rant, preview!**

_**The dead Orcs lay scattered on the ground at Weathertop as the twins and Kíli searched for the missing prince. Kíli prayed they would find his brother unharmed but something was telling him he would not find him…at least, not here.**_

_**His feet came to a stop when he saw knife coated in red blood. His knees gave out as he fell next to it, picking it up and cradling it in his hands. "Fee?" he called weakly, running his finger along the dried up stain.**_

_**Elladan came up behind Kíli and placed a hand on his shoulder. "He is not here, **_**mellon-nin**_**. I am sorry."**_

_**Kíli stood, keeping the knife in his hands. "No, he's got to be here somewhere. Fíli!" Kíli called out his brother's name, hoping to hear his brother call back, but all he was met with was silence. He continued to shout until his voice went raw and only then did he learn the cold, hard truth…**_

_**Fíli wasn't there. He had lost him.**_

**Alright, please tell me what you think!**


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